Ministry announced significant change in the gender classification of 271 procedures in the Unified Health System
The Ministry of Health announced a significant change in the gender classification of 271 procedures in the Unified Health System (SUS), aiming to expand access to treatments for transgender people. With the new ordinance, trans men and women will be able to undergo treatments and exams that were previously restricted by gender.
This change responds to a request from the Workers’ Party (PT), which was taken to the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in 2021. At the time, the party argued that gender restrictions made access to medical treatments and procedures difficult for people who had passed through gender transition and whose identity did not correspond to their biological sex.
Before the change, a person identified as female could face difficulties undergoing prostate exams if they had kept their intimate area. Likewise, a trans man who has not had surgery to remove the uterus could face obstacles in accessing treatments related to the organ.
The new ordinance covers 271 procedures that were restricted to gender, including vasectomy, treatments against uterine cancer, childbirth, mastectomy (breast removal) and specific exams for female and male health. In addition, the document covers surgeries related to sexual reassignment, such as vagina construction and penile amputation.
Source: Maxima
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